


December 16, 1991

by adie_sun



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:41:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25574482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adie_sun/pseuds/adie_sun
Summary: What if when the Winter Soldier attacked the Starks Howard, although caught of guard, was not defenseless?
Relationships: Howard Stark/Maria Stark
Kudos: 5





	December 16, 1991

**Author's Note:**

> don't care enough to make it match the movies. Since this is an au anyway I am using creative license.

_What happened? I can't believe I crashed, wait who is that coming forward?_  
"We're ok I think, we just need to get out of here if you can help us" I said to the figure coming closer. I could tell that the man was big and muscular, and when he got closer his face looked familiar. _That looks exactly like Barnes, with longer hair and a haunted look in his eyes, but it was unmistakably him._  
"Barnes, please help us, it's me Howard," The man didn't seem to recognize me and I could tell something was wrong. As the man came closer I feared for Maria's and mines lives. _I have to do something before he hurts us_ , then I remembered the tranquilizers I always carried in my pocket. When I shot one at Barnes it threw him off balance, but seeing that he was still awake, I decided to shoot a couple more times for good measure, nothing that would kill him, just enough to knock him out and get him and us out of here. The tranquilizers were something that I started carrying around for safety after a few close calls in the past, being someone of interest for many organizations was not all fun and games. They allowed me to incapacitate any potential attackers without causing any permanent damage that would end up seeing me in a court room.  
The important thing is that Maria and I are alive.  
"You know that man?" asked Maria her voice shaky from the fright we had just gone through.  
"I think so, but it seems like he hasn't aged in like 40 something years"  
"That's worrying, what are we going to do about him?" We decided to take Barnes into the car, which while damaged, would at least work enough to get us back home, deciding that we were not going to go on our trip and instead were going to figure out what was wrong with the soldier I once knew. 

I got some handcuffs and tied Barnes to a bed, leaving him alone in the room, hoping that when the man arose he would not be mad since I have no doubts about Barnes being able to overpower me if he wants to, which is why I am ready in case I needed to knock him out again. Luckily when the soldier arose feeling very confused and with a slight headache he was no longer in the winter soldier head space, in fact Barnes could not remember anything. I had left a camera in the room and was watching how the man reacted when he woke up, not seeing any obvious signs of violence or threat, I made the decision to go into the room and talk to the man.  
“Barnes, how are you feeling?”  
“Barnes? Who are you? Where am I?” The man was very confused _Barnes is that me?_ At least the man did not look like his usual handlers, which gave him a little bit of hope of not being with them anymore, and maybe then he could stop being used. The man looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place who it was  
“You looked like you were about to kill me and my wife so I knocked you out with some tranquilizers. I tried calling your name, but you didn't seem to know who I was, so that was the first thing I thought of”  
“Thanks,” responded the soldier relieved.  
“Thanks? For knocking you out. That's an unusual response” Howard said slightly amused.  
“The people who usually handle me put me in a machine, I hear them talking about wiping my memories and having to start over and putting me in cryo machine, I don't know what they are really talking about but these memories always come back, they have been doing this to me for a long time, making me go on missions mostly to kill their enemies”  
_Oh the poor thing_ thought Maria who was watching and listening to everything through the camera.  
“Well I'm glad that we found you, or you found us I guess, maybe we can try to get you out of this whole mess Sergeant Barnes”  
“Sergeant Barnes? Is that me?”  
“You don't remember your life before being forced to do all the missions and the wiping and brainwashing”  
“No I don't think so, frankly I don't know anything about myself right now”  
“Well I hope that we will be able to help you if not remember your past, then try to move forward from the pain you have suffered at their hands” 

This was just the beginning of James Barnes second chance at life, they would get through this.


End file.
